The meeting was planned to be held inside a large exhibit hall at the Haggin Museum. So many people showed up that organizers moved out to speak from atop the museum's front steps.

"We won't lose this war as long as we stay engaged," Eggman said. "We can't do it alone."

Even as the group rallied, some residents walked the park's perimeter as they always have while others played soccer on the grass.

Eggman recommended that residents walk with their dogs or with a friend and avoid going out with gold necklaces to keep from becoming another victim in a spate of snatch-and-grab jewelry robberies.

She invited the Rev. Dean McFalls to lead a moment of silence and sing "We Shall Overcome." McFalls said he often jogs in the park, and he will be leading the funeral Saturday of Armando Piņa, who was shot and killed there Sept. 17 over his gold chain.

"The good news is that we will not tolerate this violence in our town," Eggman said, citing two recent examples of neighbors around Victory Park fighting back.

On Lucerne Avenue, neighbors called police on three robbers, who were arrested. On Vine Street, neighbors called police on other robbers who ran away but dropped the stolen valuables.

Chief Jones encouraged residents remain active in the park so that the dark side doesn't take over. He also gave some sobering statistics, getting to the heart of Stockton's crime problems.

The department is down 120 officers from 2008; violent crime is up 17 percent from last year; homicides are up; about 3,000 gang members populate the city representing 70 gangs.

"It's up to the community to come together and say enough is enough," Jones said. "My mantra right now is to fight crime."

Yoga instructor Allison Boyd said she is trying to do her part, leading free classes Saturday mornings at Victory Park. She passed out fliers for a fundraiser.

She started yoga classes this summer wondering if she'd get any takers.

In her first class, July 7, 20 people turned out, and she's had groups of as many as 40. She is helping her students combat their physical ailments and pumping the park full of positive energy, she said.

Her classes might halt because of weather, but not by the recent crime spate.